(CNN) - Sen. Mary Landrieu will reimburse the Senate more than $5,700 for a charter flight she paid for with taxpayer money after CNN questioned the expense.

The Louisiana Democrat chartered a private plane last September to travel from New Orleans to Shreveport, where she attended an official event. She then traveled on to Dallas, where she attended a fundraiser.
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soundoff(67 Responses)

Sniffit

" Couldn't you also say that the dems were willing to raise taxes on the middle class because they were adamant about raising them on the upper bracket? "

You could. You can pretty much say anything, but that doesn't make it true. The Bush tax cuts were written from the very beginning to expire. Ergo, nobody was "raising" taxes on anybody if they expired. Rather, their expiration was merely a temporary tax break going away...one that was promised vociferously to be temporary from the very get-go. People proposed allowing it to expire for the wealthy who don't need it, particularly in terms of the special treatment they were getting with tax cuts that only benefit them, but extending it for the middle-class that does. That's an important point: the GOP wanted to pretend it was only "fair" to extend it for everyone, but it wasn't "fair" from the start in that it provided tax cuts to the wealthy that nobody else was getting. So, the GOP refused, saying everybody or nobody...so it is THEY who were willing to punish the middle-class if the wealthy didn't continue to get completely unnecessary and inequitable tax breaks. People even talked about compromise by making it truly everyone getting the same thing (i.e., expiring only the provisions that made it lopsided) but that wasn't good enough for the GOP/Teatrolls, so they threatened to screw up everything else, including our nuclear non-proliferation treaty with Russia, if they didn't get their way.

You have a very interesting way you spin to the right, too bad you have tunnel vision regarding the left. When politicians talk of inequality so great, they want to do something, the gop makes them out to be evil, greedy, hateful people, yet your the ones condoning voter suppression, more help for the rich, come on now, I never was taught that in Sunday school, and I'm not even admitting to believing in God, but treating the needy need not be measured by your faith, only your ability to care about someone, something other than yourself, your wishes.

August 14, 2014 01:06 pm at 1:06 pm |

Rudy NYC

tom l

And if you want to complain about people jamming anything through the senate, just look at the Bush tax cuts

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The Bush tax cuts (which were for everyone, not just the rich as you try to fool people in to thinking) was passed with 25% of senate democrats voting for it (12 out of the 48).
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The first round of Bush tax cuts were not meant for everyone, and the second round was not much better. Bush effectively raised middle income rates, by not fixing the marriage tax nor the Alternative Minimum Tax. Bush claimed that people could make up the difference by taking advantage of new "investment deductions', which required investment levels that the average middle class family could not afford.

You're being dishonest when you say that the tax cuts were for everyone. Every tax law is "for everyone" but not everyone can take advantage of many deductions.

August 14, 2014 01:10 pm at 1:10 pm |

Tony D

S.B. Stein
If she paid the money back, it shouldn't be too big a deal because of the following reasons: there are a lot of campaign finance laws to understand; she was made aware of the problem and corrected it.
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Yes, I'm sure the same approach can be taken with bank robbers who steal money. As long as the cops catch them, inform them that there are laws against what they did and they return the money, then no crime has been committed right? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

This woman has been a Senator for several years and knows the rules or should know he rules! Democrats are just thieves and crooks by nature. Think everything is theirs, just take it. You didn't build it, the commune did so just take, take, take.

August 14, 2014 01:11 pm at 1:11 pm |

Sniffit

"how soon you forget that the Democrats did the same exact thing, filibuster everything."

No they didn't. It's just not even remotely comparable when you look at the numbers. In fact, what happened instead is that Bush started setting records for vetoes. How does he have anything to veto if the legislation was filibustered?

"Democrats have shut out the Republicans from offering amendments to bills and so they have used the only thing they have left."

Nope. What you really mean is that the GOP/Teatrolls are butthurt that their amendments don't all get voted into the legislation, primarily because most of them are unserious, not in good faith and nothing more than symbolic messaging and deliberate poison pills. A couple hundred were considered for the ACA and numerous made it in though, so you're not even being honest. Nobody should have any problem with the Senate majority leader allowing no amendments to a piece of legislation...that means BOTH PARTIES can't offer them...especially when the minority party is merely insisting on using the amendment process for legislation about one topic, for example immigration, to push show-votes on an amendment on a completely irrelevant and unrelated topic, like abortion or gay marriage or repealing the ACA. It's idiocy and shows a lack of good faith and level of unseriousness about the issue the legislation itself is supposed to address.

So Democrats went nuclear and now will have to live with the consequences of their actions when they lose the Senate majority. It is just amazing how the leftis Democrats just simply refuses to accept responsibility for their irresponsible actions, Obama, Reid, Pelosi."

Baloney

August 14, 2014 01:11 pm at 1:11 pm |

denny

Mary Landrieu's state is so close to Texas she could have offered to take the illegals who were streaming over the border. We heard crickets from her. Know why? Because she's running for office.

August 14, 2014 02:03 pm at 2:03 pm |

tom l

Rudy NYC

tom l

And if you want to complain about people jamming anything through the senate, just look at the Bush tax cuts

=====

The Bush tax cuts (which were for everyone, not just the rich as you try to fool people in to thinking) was passed with 25% of senate democrats voting for it (12 out of the 48).
-----------
The first round of Bush tax cuts were not meant for everyone, and the second round was not much better. Bush effectively raised middle income rates, by not fixing the marriage tax nor the Alternative Minimum Tax. Bush claimed that people could make up the difference by taking advantage of new "investment deductions', which required investment levels that the average middle class family could not afford.

You're being dishonest when you say that the tax cuts were for everyone. Every tax law is "for everyone" but not everyone can take advantage of many deductions.
=====

Once again, the dishonest one is you. Every bracket rate was reduced.

August 14, 2014 02:04 pm at 2:04 pm |

Sniffit

"Yes, I'm sure the same approach can be taken with bank robbers who steal money."

Well, it actually can't, because robbing a bank is a crime and what she did isn't. Your analogy is horribly broken.

August 14, 2014 02:05 pm at 2:05 pm |

Silence DoGood

@tom l
Rudy NYC

tom l

And if you want to complain about people jamming anything through the senate, just look at the Bush tax cuts

=====

The Bush tax cuts (which were for everyone, not just the rich as you try to fool people in to thinking) was passed with 25% of senate democrats voting for it (12 out of the 48).
---–
The first round of Bush tax cuts were not meant for everyone, and the second round was not much better. Bush effectively raised middle income rates, by not fixing the marriage tax nor the Alternative Minimum Tax. Bush claimed that people could make up the difference by taking advantage of new "investment deductions', which required investment levels that the average middle class family could not afford.

You're being dishonest when you say that the tax cuts were for everyone. Every tax law is "for everyone" but not everyone can take advantage of many deductions.
=====

Once again, the dishonest one is you. Every bracket rate was reduced.
----------
Nothing to do with honesty. The Tax Policy Center data showed the top 1% received 30% of the tax benefits as of 2013.
Facts trump makin' stuff up based on talk radio sound bites.

August 14, 2014 02:13 pm at 2:13 pm |

Tony D

Sniffit
"Yes, I'm sure the same approach can be taken with bank robbers who steal money."
-–
Well, it actually can't, because robbing a bank is a crime and what she did isn't. Your analogy is horribly broken.
-–

Really? Misappropriating taxpayer money is not a crime? Is there some sort of exemption for Democrats that allows them to steal taxpayer money at will to use however they want?

August 14, 2014 02:21 pm at 2:21 pm |

Tony D

Silence DoGood
Nothing to do with honesty. The Tax Policy Center data showed the top 1% received 30% of the tax benefits as of 2013.
Facts trump makin' stuff up based on talk radio sound bites.
---

Yes, we know. Lefties have nothing to do with honesty!

What do you mean by "tax benefits"? Wouldn't it make sense that they may receive more "tax benefits" since they are PAYING the lions share of the taxes in this country? How many "tax benefits" is a person receiving who pays no federal taxes, yet gets money back, gets free healthcare, free housing, food stamps, free school lunches, etc? Are those "tax benefits"?

August 14, 2014 02:26 pm at 2:26 pm |

Tommy G

Didn't this lying Democrat also tell everybody that if they liked their healthcare plan, doctor and hospital, they could keep them? Yes, I believe I did see video of those lies. CAN THE LIAR Louisiana!

August 14, 2014 02:32 pm at 2:32 pm |

tom l

Nothing to do with honesty. The Tax Policy Center data showed the top 1% received 30% of the tax benefits as of 2013.
Facts trump makin' stuff up based on talk radio sound bites.
======

In 1980 the top 1% paid 19% of the taxes and the bottom 90% paid 50%. Today, the top 1% pay 35% of the taxes and the bottom 90% pay 32%

Tony, uh you talking about Chris Christie, now that's a whole lot of misappropriations, billions worth, but are you worried, nah, hesa Republican, no problem, you so need to grow a pair.

August 14, 2014 02:53 pm at 2:53 pm |

Tommy G

tom l
In 1980 the top 1% paid 19% of the taxes and the bottom 90% paid 50%. Today, the top 1% pay 35% of the taxes and the bottom 90% pay 32%
--

It will only be fair and just when the 1% pays 99% and the 99% pays 1%. So we must all vote in our own self interest and have the government do our stealing for us. Who needs a gun when you have a tax code?!!

Oh Tommy, there you go again, sounds like you could use more tax breaks too. They control the money, they should pay the tax, for someone who acts like a hawk, your missing the big mice, if your only concern was whose taxing you yo death, look at the Romney plan you guys keep acting like their protecting you, just seems odd blaming the Democrats for overtaxing small business, and you keep sticking up for the Koch brothers, I'm sure they'll see your well rewarded for it, too funny, being put into power by those you hate and attack the most, you rwnj have a bad case of Stockholm syndrome.

Tommy, how did you like the WMD lie, you rwnj really sound sane on that issue, everything under the sun, but bush didn't lie, right, Christie didn't either, OMG, your way to old to be that naive, you honestly think the economy was better when bush left, here's your chance at credibility, don't blow it. Crickets? I hope not.